The Painful Suffering of Aliiny Community in Ruweng Administrative Area (RAA), Unity State

By Gen Simon Tor Dengdit, Juba, South Sudan

Wednesday, Jun10, 2020 (PW) — For quite long enough Ruweng population has been at the adversity of all almost every kind of negative conditions. Being war with former oppressors from Khartoum or South Sudan internal conflicts, natural disasters like drought, flood and famine on the menu of a long listings, it is hardly to missed Ruweng.

With that tripling devastations, Ruweng have nothing in particular to recognized as necessities availed, and which supposed to be renders in total faith by the government of the people.

But here however, I mind to shed little light on such recurrent situations against Ruweng communities. Of course, this has compressed my nerves to write this letter that will surely concentrate most on Aliiny Community in Ruweng Administrative Area, which has suffered in the severest mood of silence for many years, indeed without essential necessities.

For example, clean drinking water, schools, hospitals and many other livelihood services that allow productive and well-sustainable lives. Which is a moral obligation for every living citizen to pay clinical attention towards such necessities and fundamental deeds offered by both government or any able institutions of welfares.

It is not a surprise to any reasonable individuals like myself that services are heavenly desired across South Sudan, whereof, Aliiny status remained vividly pathetic without exceptions. Questions are squarely frame and pose of whereabouts the considered percentages of community development fund (CDF) by the national government and its contractors of oil extractions.  

Despite all such lucrative percentage of oil reference, Aliiny has remained impoverish and non-benefactor from the said fortunesof shared. This demonstrated to the fact that Aliiny community’s owning 3% of all of South Sudan’s oil revenues as recognized by the government on July 9, 2011. 

There’s still yet feedback on when the designated percentage of oil benefits can be received by the mostly disadvantaged community. With testimony and assurance, Aliiny has never received a single penny from those precious oil revenues as guaranteed by South Sudan’s constitution.

If my nerves served me right, then I don’t see commendable perspective of “Why” did South Sudan’s constitution allocated 3% of oil revenues to the producing areas like Aliiny, after all, money does not meet the intended purpose to improve on people’s livelihoods?  

The issue of being a new country on earth has been a common melody of excuse to be sung by those in government privileged positions who are guaranteed with services to the people.  

This is so disheartening message that shouldn’t even be encourage by anyone of live sense, South Sudan is now meeting ten (10) years of her existence and anniversary, thereupon no justifiable reasons hindering services delivering than the rampant corruption investment that has swallowed our nation and her institutions since we succeeded from the Islamic State of Khartoum.  

It is true our constitution has recognised the outcast communities around oil facilities wherein Aliiny is a crucial member that worth adequate consideration by both the government and operating companies under consortium of Great Pioneer Operating Company (GPOC).

The unsettling situation of water provision in Aliiny county can best be identified and testify by those who hold top leadership at both national and state levels, but rather not because of resources deposited or allocation for the case of 3 per cents. 

Of recently, there has been tricks and worst suspicions involved by both National Ministry of Petroleum and Administrative Area of Ruweng around the mentioned percentage of benefits to the producing area like Aliiny County. 

It’s very devastating that the trusted leaderships are playing with the innocent citizen’s lives by introducing a game of fidgeting between the local government of Ruweng and the South Sudan government. My obedience point here is to question the former Governor of Ruweng, Hon Lawrence Miabok Wuor Piok to justify of where about the said 3 per cent that was destined to leveraging and saving people’s social advantages.

And perhaps, I encourage him to directs the incoming incompetence ruler, should he missed out from reappointment. Hon Miabok Wuor has constantly denied his involvement in the misappropriated funds which was designed to help out area with necessities for example water, education, health ecstatic. 

And if by luck Mr Miabok Wuor is right as he has confidently been attesting by distancing himself from this case, then case here about begs for honest understandings, of who’s doing business with three percent? 

Notwithstanding, one must be dearly informing that, such lumpsum amounts of millions in US Dollars rightly given by the Ministry of petroleum as a consideration to compensate damages that are being inflicted by those oil explorers like GPOC which is the major operating company in the area.

Therefore, such amount of bulks US Dollars shouldn’t be wasted or looted by individuals who had luck to have served in the subsequent leaderships in Ruweng Administrative Area. On another note, Aliiny county is not short of resources as revenues collected from Messiria traders and pasturing Term of Agreements (TORs), also paid up to 70,000 USD weekly but sadly, the local government of Ruweng is misusing that huge taxes. 

In conclusion, Aliiny residents hereafter, appealing to the national government to give clarity on the meandering tricks being orchestrated either by petroleum ministry or RAA government. By quickly constituting team of independent to pile proof against the heavily alleged lost of money from RuwengAdministrative exchequers.  

Again, I am humbly asking our South Sudan’s government, to refocusing its leadership strategies toward grassroots’ constituents wherein saboteur is earnestly being anticipated and implemented by the incompetence rulers who are turning SPLM vision to their owned cheaper ways of looting rather then executing the original manifestation on developmental needs. 

People have been overwhelmed and tired with the nature of which resources are blurredly being misappropriated by ungrateful and heartless individuals when tasked with leadership. The population is hapless and helpless prior to be aided by able leadership of His Excellency the President GenSalva Kiir, the missing money is desperately needed for common people hopes. 

Indeed, such contradicting Messagebetween the local government of Ruweng and National government of South Sudan must be clear up for future transparency to prevail on Aliiny people and Ruweng at large. 

Finally, Aliiny community only hope is weightily upon thegovernment of South Sudan to rapidly reviews the ongoing corruption within local government of Ruweng demonstrativearea, particularly on Aliiny oil 3 percentage allocations. 

Mr. President! Your intervention is more invited at this juncture than before. And by doing so, Aliiny and Ruweng as a community beseech your leadership to roll up the sleeves of laws to discipline such greedy habits who have developed belly cause from lootings, and if possible they should consequently facerude sanctions and prosecutions.

The author, Gen Tor Dengdit, is a concerned resident of Aliiny Community of Ruweng Administrative Area and can be reached via his email address: dengdengt@gmail.com

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